Big Box Knitting

Sun, 2010-10-10 10:41 — Gregory Patrick

So Phillip and I are in Orlando for the winter, camped out at a cute little cottage in College Park complete with a Mediterranean courtyard and enough space for Mario the cat to run from window to window watching “The Bird Show,” or “The Stray Cat” show. This is precisely what I needed for the next couple of months. We plan to be here until April then head out to the mountains. But in the interim, whilst we plan our move into something rural and less populated, I have time to work on the promotion of MAD MAN KNITTING. Yes, I know I had intended to drop the book, but at Phillip’s urging, I’m moving headstrong into media outlets of every kind hoping to at least make some ruckus.
I’m also working on getting my previous books relaunched the iPad and Kendle, but that’s going to take some time. Orlando is a very media driven town, the likes of which mom and pop shops don’t do very well. So, it’s the perfect outlet for getting any kind of media attention. The draw back is my knitting supplies. There are very few (if any) smaller knitting shops around here, so I’m forced into the big box stores like Joann’s, A.C. Moore, and Michael’s. It’s not so terribly bad, but it drives me to wonder, where do YOU get your yarn and notions? I’ll be sitting here messing around with something that everybody on the planet can also have access to, but hopefully, I’ll make it look a little more genuine and unique than what the soccer mom next to me has her eye on. If she and I both buy the same skein, then she’ll make sweaters for her tots…and I’ll make beer cozies. So, if I’m to shamelessly promote my book here and now for all the world to see, then I at lease want to hand over the rest of this blog to those little unincorporated small business boutiques all across America that are dying for business and recognition. Shout out your favorite yarn store, why don’t you? And maybe I’ll find my supplies in your town online. Cheers!

Comments

Unfortunately, here in my hometown we have only 2 yarn shops. That means we have to rely on the Big W, Hancock Fabrics, and Hobby Lobby for run of the mill stuff. However, All That Yarn and Dancing Sheep Yarn & Fiber are both good local yarn shops, although I mainly use Dancing Sheep as it is closer to home and I've made lots of friends during Open Knitting on Tuesdays. -- Books, knitting, cats, fountain pens...Life is Good.

When I first moved to DC in the 80's, yarn stores abounded. When I moved back in the mid 90's, I was heart broken to discover that every single one of them had closed. The only yarn store in the area was out in a burb - a good 40 minute drive. That's changing here. First, Stitches DC opened up down on Capitol Hill. Then, low and behold, a beautiful big yarn store opened up less than a mile from my place - A Tangled Skein (it's actually located in Hyattsville, MD). This month, Looped opened up at Dupont Circle, just a few blocks from my house. All are still in business - DC Stitches had a couple of locations, but I do think they've gone back to just one store, but it's thriving:

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